Sustainable monitoring of the marine environment is essential for the environmentally friendly operation of offshore wind farms and the protection of biodiversity. In the SeaMe project, the Essen-based energy supply company RWE is bringing together leading research partners to jointly develop innovative technologies for holistic ecosystem monitoring. The aim is to replace expensive, invasive and CO2-intensive methods. The German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) is equipping an autonomous underwater vehicle with oceanographic sensors and artificial intelligence methods to ensure safe navigation and precise data collection.

Identifying interactions between offshore wind farms and local ecosystems

With the SeaMe project (Sustainable Ecosystem Approach in Monitoring the Marine Environment), RWE is pursuing the goal of gaining a comprehensive understanding of the interactions between offshore wind farms and the local ecosystem. To this end, a sound scientific approach is combined with innovative and environmentally friendly monitoring technologies based on artificial intelligence (AI). With the help of aerial drones, environmental DNA analysis and autonomous underwater vehicles, sustainable methods are to be established that reduce CO2 emissions and at the same time minimize the impact on marine life.

Simultaneous collection of physical and biological data

Simultaneous collection of physical and biological data enables a comprehensive assessment of the marine ecosystem. This also includes often neglected parts of the ecosystem, such as phytoplankton and zooplankton, for example krill, which play a central role in the marine food chain.

Further development of the AUV DeepLeng

The DFKI Robotics Innovation Center is further developing the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) DeepLeng for the SeaMe project to optimize monitoring in offshore environments. To do this, the Bremen-based researchers are equipping the AUV with a multimodal oceanographic sensor system that can precisely measure physical parameters such as water temperature, salinity and oxygen content. This data is essential for a well-founded ecological analysis, as it provides valuable insights into the living conditions in the waters of wind farms.

Robot to learn continuously

In addition, the researchers are developing an AI-based video surveillance system that enables the AUV to detect fish and marine mammals. This technology is based on machine learning and image processing and enables the robot to continuously learn and improve its marine life detection capabilities. The AI-based image analysis is intended to replace invasive and emission-intensive methods such as trawl fishing, and to enable precise and continuous monitoring of marine fauna directly on site, without disturbing the habitats.

Optimization of system capabilities for offshore use

Another focus of the DFKI work is the targeted preparation of the system for offshore use. To this end, its capabilities are being expanded and existing functions optimized to meet the demanding operating conditions. This includes, among other things, improvements in communication, the implementation of advanced security measures such as the ability to perform emergency ascents, and increasing the robustness of the system.

Algorithms optimize responsiveness to unforeseen events

Navigating the open ocean is particularly challenging because conditions vary and the AUV must respond to unforeseen events. To this end, the researchers are developing intelligent algorithms that enable the robot to maneuver safely through the waters, detect obstacles and avoid them without jeopardizing the mission objectives.

Comprehensive laboratory tests and field trials

In addition to extensive laboratory tests in the 1,300-square-meter Maritime Exploration Hall at DFKI in Bremen, which is unique in Europe, field tests are planned at the Test Center for Maritime Technologies on Helgoland to test the AUV's ocean capabilities and safety functions. In the second phase of the project, an extensive test campaign with a variety of individual tests under real-life conditions will take place at the RWE offshore wind farm Kaskasi, about 35 kilometers north of Helgoland. With a capacity of 342 megawatts, the wind farm can supply enough electricity for about 400,000 households. The tests are supported by an RWE operations team that is overseeing the integration of the technologies developed by the research partners into the offshore environment.

The research partners in SeaMe

The SeaMe project, which is led and financed by RWE, started in the summer of 2024 and is scheduled to last three years. In addition to DFKI, the research partners include the Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity at the University of Oldenburg (HIFMB), the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), BioConsult SH and the Danish company DHI A/S.

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